Victoria JC beat St Andrew’s JC 3-1 in A Division girls’ football final

Story by REDintern Lee Wenting. Photos by REDintern Alethia Tiang.

Jalan Besar Stadium, Friday, May 22, 2009 – Defending champions Victoria Junior College ran out 3-1 winners in yet another epic clash against arch-rivals St Andrew’s Junior College in the final of the A Division Girls’ Football Championship.

The VJC victory was significant as they became the first school to win back-to-back titles since the inception of the championship in 2005. VJC and SAJC had previously taken turns to claim the title.

The final commanded all the makings of a classic in their third consecutive showdown as past encounters saw the Saints prevailing 1-0 in 2007 and VJC winning the next year on sudden-death penalties.

Passion ran high as the Jalan Besar Stadium roared to life. Intent on getting behind their teams as the 12th “man”, the atmosphere was electrifying with the supporters’ drums, clappers and choreographed school cheers. Banners and slogans proudly decorated the stadium in their rivaling colours in a sight to behold.

The supporters’ spirited cheering mirrored the high-octane match from kickoff as both teams battered feistily under the heat. VJC stamped their physical and technical superiority from the opening minutes as their central midfield duo, Zhang Qian (#18) and Chia Jie Min (#14), bossed the game with their towering presences and fed on the blistering pace of winger Amelia Tang (#9).

The Saints were not to be outdone themselves as they threatened with some telepathic link-ups between star winger Narmadha Kamalanathan (#9) and skipper Suria Varatharaja (#11), who later took home the award for the Most Outstanding Player.

But the physical superiority of the Victorians soon reaped dividends when skipper Chia Jie Min (#14) outmuscled her defenders to send a teasing cross towards the center, and striker Tan Xin Yi (#11) opened the score sheet in the 12th minute when her shot lobbed over the Saints keeper.

SAJC responded well as they embarked on a spell of possession, but it was all but short-lived as VJC’s counterattacking game troubled the Saints defence consistently while they exploited the flanks with their wingers’ pace and some nifty footwork.

VJC were up 2-0 in the space of four minutes when a quick one-two between striker Rachel Wong (#6) and Amelia Tang (#9) inside the box unlocked the back four and Rachel drilled an angled shot past the fingertips of the keeper into the bottom right corner.

The industrious work ethic of the Saints had clearly found their match against the technically superior and stronger Victorians, and the Saints were hard-pressed for answers until a telling interception for their talismanic skipper, Suria (#11), stemmed the flow of VJC’s attack. Narmadha (#9) tested the VJC keeper well with a nicely taken free kick as an awkward bounce dipped before the goal custodian.

End-to-end action on both sides came fast and furious as a mazy run from VJC’s Bethany Koh (#4) ensued in the third goal after squaring the ball to the Golden Boot award striker, Rachel Wong (#6), who duly dispatched the gift for her 17th goal in the tournament.

The title seemed in the bag for the Victorians at 3-0 but SAJC were handed a lifeline when Narmadha (#9), not to be denied a second time, curled a beautiful free-kick into the top corner in extra-time of first half.

Destiny could have been rewritten as the Saints looked the hungrier side in attempting to mount an impossible comeback after the break. But the blue half squandered numerous one-on-one chances in successive periods, and it was only the flying saves from the Saints keeper Pamela Kong (#1) in injury time which kept VJC from pulling away.

VJC were not to be denied their victory at the final whistle as the group huddles from both teams told contrasting tales of joy and sadness.

Guest-of-Honour Aljunied GRC MP and head of The Women’s Football Committee, Mdm. Cynthia Phua, praised the outpouring of support from schools and advancements in grassroots level for women’s football, as reflected by the quality shown on the pitch and off it.

Indeed, the sky is the limit for Singapore women’s football if such potential from college division will be honed into finer diamonds in local club competitions and higher tertiary levels.